Curtain-sign for windows.



J. H. FITCH.

APPLIOATION FILED PEB. 3, 1909.

CURTAIN SIGN FOR WINDOWS.

nnen.

JOI-IN II. FITCH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CURTAI-SIGN FOR l/VINDOWS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 3, 1909.

Patented Jan. it), 1911. serial No. 475,884.

To all 'whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN H. FITCH, a citizenof the United States, and a resident of Chicago7 in the county of Cookand State. of Illinois, hare invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Curtain-Signs for lWindows, of which the following is aclear, full, and exact description.

My invention relates to curtain signs that are adapted to be used in thedisplay windows of shops, stores, and business places, and particularlyto that class of signs Wherein so-me method of artificial illuminationis employed for the purpose of displaying the subject-matter containedin these signs.

Une of the objects of my invention is to provide means whereby the signmay be readily changed from day to day without the necessity of making'a new sign.

A further object of my invention is to provide a window display signsuch as above briefly described that will not readily get out of order,and which can be easily changed or altered whenever it may be foundnecessary to do so. This I accomplish by the means hereinafter fullydescribed and as more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:-I1`igure l is a central transverse section of a storewindow having my il'nln'oved curtain signs therein and showing one ofthe same in position. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatical perspective view,partly broken away of a window having my improved curtain sign therein.Fig. 3 is a plan view of the window looking down upon the same above thecurtain. Fig. 4: is a detailed view of the bracket for supporting thecurtains7 the saine being shown in the perspective.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the framework of a suitabledisplay window for stores, that has its front provided with the usualpane of glass B extending from the side to side of said window andarising to aheight approximately. corresponding to that of said window.Secured preferably, to the rear of the ceiling or to the back wall ofthis window frame is a suitable curtain supporting bracket C comprisinga metal strip bent back upon itself to form a flat screw-plate orscrewing portion c and projecting forwardly therefrom is an elongatedarm c that extends forward to near the glass front of the window. Thesebrackets (l are preferably placed at opposite ends of the window-frameas shown and the upper edges of the forward ends of their arms areprovided with a series of transverse slots a that form bearings in whichare journaled a plurality of window curtains D of the roller-shade type.

Curtains D are preferably made of black or other dark-colored opaquewindow-shade material and have suitable lettering d cut in the samerepresenting the matter to which it is desired to call attenticn. At therearmost lportion of brackets C the arms thereof are each provided witha transverse slot c in which the journals of a roller shade E bear'- ingwhite or other light-reflecting material are mounted, and which, whenpulled down will cover and act as a reliecting screen across the entirerear wall of the window. Extending longitudinally from side to side ofthe floor of the window is a series of suit able parallel cleats ornarrow strips F that are provided, about midway their length with asuitable hook f that is adapted to be secured to the end of the curtainwhen the same is pulled down.

Projecting downwardly from about the central portion of the ceiling isthe burner Gr of a suitable illuminating agent such for example as anelectric light that is preferably provided with a reflector that throwsthe light against the white screen curtain at the rear of the window.Now, when one of the opaque sign-curtains D is pulled down to the {ioorof the window and secured to its respective cleat, the rays of lightfrom the lamp reflected from the rear screen will be projected throughthe cut-out portions in` the sign curtains and can easily be read fromthe outside of the window.

Should the window be provided with side glasses the same may be closedwith a single curtain g which may be either of the refleeting screentype or a sign curtain, as may be found desirable. However, should theseends not be provided with glass but be closed by panels H (Fig. 3) thesame may be provided with a series of substantially U-shaped tracks orguides 7L in which the extended ends of the strengthening rails usuallyat the lower edges of the curtains, may be moved up and down.

By the above construction it will be seen that, on account of theintense reflection obtainable from the white screen at the rear reectingmaterial, journaled near the rear end of said brackets, an illuminant infro-nt of said latter curtain, a sign bearing roller shade curtainmounted at the front end of said brackets, and guide strips on the sidesof said window inwhich the edges of said curtains are adapted to move.

2. The combination with a window having a transparent front, of curtainsupporting brackets extending from the front to the rear thereof, aroller-shade having a curtain of reflecting material, Journaled near therear end of said brackets, a sign bearing rollershade curtain mounted atthe front end of sa-i'd brackets, and illuminating means mounted betweensaid curtains.

3. The combination with a window having a transparent front, ofcurtain-supporting brackets extending from the front to the rearthereof, a roller-shade having a curtain of reflecting material, mountednear the rear end of said brackets, a plurality of opaque roller-shadecurtains each having suitable lettering out through the same and mountednear the forward ends of said brackets,

illuminating means mounted between said reflecting curtain and said signbearing curtains, and parallelstri'ps extending longitudinally of saidwindow and provided with hooks for retaining said curtains in theirlowered positions.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 25th dayof January, A. D., 1909.

JOHN H. FITCH. [n s] lVitnesses E. K. LUNDY, M. E. MARTIN.

